Third Eye Trouble
by FruitySmell
Summary: AU. In his last year of high school, Hyuuga Neji never thought he'd be tasked to babysit his cousin by his rather strict uncle, gain a lot of annoying friends, and possibly fall for a ghost girl who has no idea who she is or how she even got there in the first place. But hey, that's high school, right?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **These characters belong to a man named Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own any of the characters used nor do I gain any profit from writing this story.

**WARNING! **Rated **T **for language and some violence.

**EXPECT: **Weekly updates because Fruity is aiming to be good for this month so Santa would give her a gift. YOSH!

**-OoO-**

**CHAPTER 1**

**-OoO-**

That woman. There was something wrong with that woman.

He concluded mentally as he stared at the ominous lady. His lavender eyes were glued to this rather strange person, who remained unmoving in her little corner. She didn't even care as people passed her by, didn't flinch when a passing vehicle honked and screeched, and didn't even look up once.

And he knew.

Oh yes, he knew.

That if he kept watching her like this, she'd feel it. And that would mean trouble. The moment she would sense him, she would never leave him. So his instincts told him to close his eyes or maybe look away, because if he continued staring, he'd only be inviting more problems.

So he did.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten.

But then, they would traitorously seek her and remain fixed on her, as if they were magically pulled to this enigma. His mind continued chanting, telling him to stop, don't let her know you can _see_ her, this is so scary, look away, look away, _look away_! NOW!

And then she swivelled her head to his direction, the action causing her neck to snap sharply. He flinched uncontrollably as her eyes, red and bulging, studied him just as he had with her. She tilted her head in unconcealed wonder, and when he took an involuntary step back, she gave a splitting, deranged smile that shook him to the core.

It was a mistake! Making eye contact with this malicious entity was a mistake, his mind screamed.

And now she was coming to get him.

Creepy, feral smile in place, she was getting nearer and nearer to him. So near that he could already notice her abnormally pale skin, her bedraggled hair, her yellowing fingernails. Her feet never touched the ground, he noticed; instead, she was floating in midair as she crossed the distance.

_Hurry! Run! Don't let her touch you_! Every bit of his senses ordered, and yet, his body refused to move an inch. He was transfixed at the sight of this woman, because he was so scared. He didn't know what to do, because he was so frightened.

And her smile grew wider. Wider than what was normal. And then he realized that her lips had been cut.

He stifled a scream.

Because in an instant, she was an arm's length away from him and he was trapped. Trapped by his own cowardice. He wanted to look away now, he wanted to run as fast as his legs could carry him, he wanted to scream as she reached for him, her fingernails long and chipped...

But he couldn't.

Instead, he only shivered in his place, his vocal chords refusing to produce any sound as her fingers reached for his neck to strangle him.

The woman was close, so close to hurting him, and she knew, because she grinned maliciously at his terror. Just one more snap, and he was gone. He clenched his fists as he waited for his inevitable demise. But it never happened.

Because, and fortunately for the boy, someone had grabbed his shoulders before the ghost could scare him some more. This effectively stopped the woman's advances, and with a ghostly wail, she vanished with a puff of smoke.

Slowly, the boy opened his eyes, realizing that he had actually closed them in fear, and came face-to-face with orbs so very similar to his. The boy immediately smiled when he recognized his savior.

"Calm down, my son," his father soothed, hands gently grasping his son's shoulders as he kneeled down to reach the boy's level. "Always remember what I told you, my little one."

"Don't be scared because they can never hurt me." The boy dutifully answered, making his father ruffle his head lovingly. He laughed and playfully swatted his father's hand away from his soft, coffee brown, locks.

"That's my Neji!" The older man praised as he scooped his six-year-old son effortlessly. "You're daddy's little genius, aren't you?"

Young Neji beamed with pride as his father continued singing praises to him. They continued talking about mundane things that made both of them laugh, until they were finally a few feet away from the area rumoured to be haunted by a vengeful woman.

Stories tell that she was a victim of abuse, left to die after she was robbed and stabbed by her attacker. The perpetrator was never caught, unfortunately, and now, this ghostly apparition would show herself to unsuspecting victims, claiming life after life the same way hers was so cruelly taken away. What used to be a cry for revenge now became a perverted source of entertainment for that ghost.

She was one of those that Neji's father called a corrupted soul. A soul bound to the earth because of an unfinished business or an unresolved problem.

Those types of souls needed to be evaded as much as possible because they were malevolent. They no longer hold any human conscience. They were the same as monsters.

"Always remember, Neji," his father suddenly spoke, and his son was quick to snap his attention. "You are my precious son. And I will always be here for you."

Neji tilted his head curiously, brows scrunching up as he wondered, "How do you do that, dad?"

The sun was beginning to set, and both father and son paused to watch as the sun's rays turned orange before completely disappearing from sight. The older man smiled as he once more crouched to his son's height, before pointing at Neji's chest.

"I'll always be here," he explained to the boy. "Know now, my son, that I will always watch over you. Because I am in your heart. Just as much as you are in mine."

The little boy looked excited. "Really dad?!"

The older man nodded and smiled kindly. "That's a promise, Neji."

**-OoO-**

Resident ghosts spared him curious glances before looking away nonchalantly. There was nothing special about him now. He was merely a regular visitor in this quiet place. He was just a lonely boy, seeking his father's warmth and his mother's embrace because he refused to believe that they were both gone.

Gone forever since the day that deranged man decided to pull the trigger.

Wisps, which were spirits who have forgotten their original forms, danced merrily around his unmoving form with a coo before the gentle breeze swept them away. The boy didn't give them any attention though for he was much too focused on the graves in front of him to care about anything else.

"Hello, father." He finally spoke, addressing the marker on his right. Then he bowed to his left respectfully. "Hello, mother."

Silence met his greetings. Only the wind blew softly.

"It's another year for me," he said conversationally, "it will be my last year in high school. Can you believe it?"

Some of the ghosts mingling around smiled at his declaration, but his lips were set in a grim line. Right now, he wanted his parents' reactions, not theirs. Just a simple congratulations would have worked wonders for his seeking heart, but neither his father nor his mother ever appeared to praise him for a job well done.

The silence always made him feel so depressed; however, he was still foolishly clinging to hope, so he continued.

"Uncle Hiashi also thinks that Hinata should attend my school, instead of being homeschooled." He grimaced slightly at the thought of his clumsy and overly shy cousin. "Apparently, I'm tasked as her babysitter."

He heard snickers coming from those eavesdropping spirits and turned to glare at them. Some grinned apologetically while a few others taunted him before disappearing from his sight. He grunted slightly before resuming his one-sided conversation with his parents.

"Personally, I think it's a bad idea," he confessed as he shrugged a bit, "but uncle is adamant that Hinata should experience life being in a co-ed school. He thinks it will help build her character."

He paused and expectantly waited for any reply, but as always, only silence followed. He sighed softly before bending just a bit to retrieve his bag.

"It's almost time for school. I have to go now." He explained and bowed respectfully at both graves. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

His strides were long and quick and not once did he look back.

It would not matter anyway. It was not like his father or mother was there, waving him a goodbye. They were gone now, and even when he visited their graves every day, neither of his parents ever made any effort to visit him back.

He was Hyuuga Neji and he was all alone now. It was his fate.

**-OoO-**

Neji resisted the urge to scream his frustrations.

All throughout the morning, Hinata clung to his arm like a defenseless baby koala. Her lavender eyes darted left and right frequently, as if expecting a huge catastrophe just lurking in the corners to suddenly rear its ugly head. She also had this tendency to jump and squeak every time someone shouted or talked loudly, before clutching her cousin's arm and squeezing harder.

Neji briefly wondered if he would still be able to move his right hand after this. His poor appendage had been deprived of circulation for minutes now, what with Hinata's constant panic attacks at every sound she heard and at every action the people around her made. It didn't help that students were quite excited for today, as it was the first day of school.

He was about to reprimand his younger cousin to at least try and be a little bit brave because this was high school and high school was really just a jungle, when he realized that they finally reached their destination - the principal's office.

"Go inside," Neji urged as he pushed Hinata lightly. "Ask for Shizune-san. She's the principal's assistant, and she'll be the one to give you your schedule."

He watched as Hinata nodded, although she had yet to relinquish her grip on her cousin's arm. She slowly let go and moved toward the door sluggishly, her shoulders hunched and her eyes focused on the school's tiled floor. She was visibly shaking like a leaf, and when she reached for the doorknob, the thing rattled as Hinata continued to shiver. Said girl took a big gulp, knocked on the door so softly that Neji doubted anyone could hear, and proceeded to enter the room and left Neji outside to wait for her.

Neji, on the other hand, sighed softly and wondered how exactly Hinata was going to survive this sudden change in her environment.

Sighing once more, the Hyuuga turned and looked around, wondering to himself how he was going to give a tour to his cousin without her clutching his arm like a lost little girl in the mall during an all-out sale. It was going to be a hard one, he realized. Not to mention, his mind was already overly stressed right now and the only logical answer it could supply was to bluntly tell Hinata to stop being such a big and helpless baby all the time.

Neji quickly shook the idea out of his mind because not only was it a stupid idea, it was also going to result to a crying Hinata. And Neji hated having to console a crying Hinata - it was a goddamn tiresome job!

He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and grumbled incoherently under his breath. Without noticing, the loud huff that he made drew someone's attention and that someone immediately rushed to his side.

"Hey, is something wrong?"

Lavender eyes opened, and Neji turned to face the owner of the voice. He immediately found himself staring at a pretty girl, her long brown hair unbound, flowing and reaching the middle of her back. Her expressive eyes, a lighter shade compared to her hair, were blinking at him as she tilted her head curiously. Her skin was pale - abnormally pale - and it took Neji a moment to conclude that she wasn't exactly pale as he first thought she was... She was actually see-through!

A quick assessment of her legs proved his realization - her feet were not touching the ground! She was floating, which only meant that either she was telekinetic or she was a ghost. The answer, of course, was a no brainer, so Neji did what he always does when it concerned the nonliving. He looked away very quickly and pretended not to see anything.

The girl quickly pouted as Neji turned away.

"Hey!" The girl complained. "I was talking to you!"

Neji said nothing. The brunette ghost floated in front of him, waving her ghostly hand in front of his face.

"You can see me, can't you?! I know you can! Quit ignoring me!"

Again, the Hyuuga said nothing, hoping she'd go away. The ghost girl proved to be quite a determined one though.

"Please, you have to help me!" The girl begged. "I-I don't know where I am and I don't even know my—"

She was cut off when the door to the principal's office opened, and out came Hinata, who stumbled a bit as she closed the door behind her. The pale-eyed girl abruptly stopped when she noticed the ghost girl hovering in front of her cousin Neji and she gripped her schedule tightly. The poor paper crinkled loudly in the Hyuuga's hands.

"Wh-wh-what..." Hinata stuttered uncontrollably, her body shaking nonstop. The ghost girl did not seem to notice Hinata's nervousness for she immediately flew closer to the shaking Hyuuga, a huge smile on her lips.

"Hey, you're that girl from before!" The ghost said excitedly. "You can see me too, right?"

Before Hinata could answer (or worse, faint like a narcoleptic), Neji swiftly grabbed his cousin's wrist and dragged her away from the scheming ghost. Said ghost let out a squeak of surprise before calling Neji a jerk when she realized that the boy was simply ignoring her.

**-OoO-**

"Here's your room," Neji spoke once they were in front of Class 1A's doors. In his peripheral vision, he saw Hinata nod her head, wheezing just a bit as they did pick up their pace in hopes of losing the ghost girl.

Their plan seemed to have work though, since the ghost girl wasn't with them anymore.

"You don't have to worry about changing rooms," Neji continued. "Here in Konoha High, the students are limited to their respective section's classroom, while the teachers switch every end of the subject's period."

He held his hand up, a silent gesture for Hinata to give her schedule for him to check. Without hesitation, his cousin followed his command and whimpered just a bit when Neji raised a brow at the offered crumpled paper.

Neji quickly smoothened out the paper and studied it meticulously.

"You have History with Umino Iruka-sensei first," Neji said, and at Hinata's questioning glance, he elaborated some more. "He's a patient and kind man. You don't have to worry about him."

Hinata heaved a sigh of relief as she relaxed her tensed shoulders. Meanwhile, Neji neatly folded Hinata's schedule and handed it back to its owner, who took it with a mumbled thank you.

Neji nodded once and gestured toward the door, telling Hinata to go inside and try to blend in. Hinata meekly answered in affirmation as she reached for her classroom's door, once again shaking now that she was about to enter another unfamiliar territory.

She was only able to open a fraction of the door when someone called her name, making her jump a bit. Hinata turned to the speaker and found herself facing at a familiar face. She blinked unsurely before an instant smile, her first real one since she entered the school, made its way to her face.

"Kiba-kun!" She exclaimed eagerly, and seeing the boy beside Kiba, Hinata beamed even brighter. "Shino-kun!"

The boy called Kiba grinned wolfishly as he neared Hinata and slung an arm around her shoulders casually the moment he reached her. Shino's form of greeting, on the other hand, was a curt nod at both Hyuugas before he adjusted his dark glasses.

"I am surprised to see you here, Hinata." The boy called Shino started. "Why? Because your father always opts to have you homeschooled."

Aburame Shino, aged fifteen, stood and stayed silent after he spoke. For anyone unfamiliar with the way Shino communicated, he or she would find the silence to be rather awkward and would start distancing himself/herself from the bespectacled boy. But in Hinata's case, as she knew him since their diaper days, she only smiled shyly at him and relayed to Shino of her father's plans of having Hinata learn how to interact with other kids her age.

Shino seemed content with the answer, although one could hardly tell as Shino's eyes were hidden behind his thick black shades. Kiba snickered at what Hinata said and poked the girl's cheeks playfully, making Hinata blush like a steamed lobster.

"Your father actually suggested you have more friends, Hinata?" He suddenly laughed loudly in amusement. "Oh God! Who is he and what has he done to the real Hyuuga Hiashi?!" He guffawed at his own joke, while Hinata blushed some more. Neji and Shino only stared at him coolly, neither finding Kiba's joke to be funny.

Inuzuka Kiba, aged fifteen, was another childhood friend of Hinata. A rather outgoing fellow, Kiba was the heart and soul of their little group, and all the pranks they pulled and the games they played when they were kids were all masterminded by him. He was also fiercely loyal to his two friends, and he found it his job to protect the two from danger (Hinata) and from the possibility of dying a virgin (Shino).

"Ki-Kiba-kun! That's n-not nice!" Hinata reprimanded although there was a small smile on her lips.

Kiba opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off when Neji suddenly coughed. The three turned to look at him expectantly.

"I take it you two are in Class 1A as well?" Neji questioned and at Kiba's and Shino's nods, he closed his eyes in relief. "Good. At least Hinata has someone familiar with her. I'm sure you can handle yourself from here, Hinata?"

"Yes, bi-big brother." Hinata answered. "Th-thank you for e-escorting me all the wa-way here."

"Yeah, don'cha worry about a thing, Neji!" Kiba piped in with a grin, his arm still slung around Hinata snugly. "Me and Shino'll take good care of Hinata!"

Neji eyed the roguish boy warily, before turning to Shino. "I'm counting on you."

Kiba instantly bristled at what Neji was implying. "Oi! What the hell are you trying to imply, you jackass?!"

Shino nodded solemnly. "Of course, Neji-san."

"The fuck?! Shino, you bastard! Why are you taking his side?!" Kiba roared, but Shino only looked away and told Hinata that they should get to class soon. Neji, meanwhile, was already off to his own classroom too. "Quit ignoring me, you little-! Shino, you are so dead, man!"

**-OoO-**

"I found you!" A cheery voice suddenly cried out, snapping Neji out of his musings. The Hyuuga grunted, clearly displeased by the intrusion. And he did not even have to turn around to know who the speaker was.

Granted, he did not know her name nor did he have any intention to know, but he had to salute her somehow - the girl truly was determined. Yet he was still not going to aid her though. Not even when she was hovering around him like this, desperately calling his attention like a deprived five year old spoiled brat.

"Hey, come on! Talk to me!" The ghost girl complained and frowned when Neji continued to ignore her. She huffed and then decided a new approach. "_Ni jiao shenme mingzi_?" (1)

Shocked, Neji turned to her, brows raised. The ghost girl smiled victoriously.

"Finally! I have your attention!" She placed a hand on her chest and sighed in relief. Neji immediately scowled.

"What," he hissed dangerously, making it a point to lower his voice so no one else could hear him, "do you want?"

The ghost girl did not look afraid, even when Neji's eyes flashed with anger. Instead, she gave a bow and in a firm voice, she asked, "I need your help. Please."

**-OoO-**

"And then, Hinata had no choice but to become an awesome distraction while Shino and me ran off before any of the adults coud see us!"

A round of laughter ensued.

Hinata feared that her new life as a regular high school student was going to be hard and stressful. Instead, she found herself enjoying every bit of it, and it was all thanks to Kiba-kun and Shino-kun.

Like they promised Neji, both really took good care of her. They, or rather Kiba as Shino was content to just stand beside her, were quick to make her feel at home by introducing her to some of their old friends who were, as Kiba explained, also their classmates way back in elementary and junior high school years.

"Oi, dog-breath!" One loud blonde by the name of Uzumaki Naruto suddenly bellowed out. "Why the hell didn't you introduce me to Hinata-chan earlier?! She's a really nice girl!"

Hinata blushed prettily at being called "Hinata-chan" by someone she just met minutes ago, while Kiba grinned widely.

"I just told you, stupid! Hinata's father is a really scary person who guards Hinata and her sister like a hawk! B'sides, you live on the other side of town, remember?"

Naruto did not look amused. "What the hell did you just call me, dog-boy?!"

"I called you stupid, stupid. Why? Want me to spell it out for ya?"

"Why you-!"

Shino immediately steered Hinata away before another Inuzuka—Uzumaki brawl was about to begin. Hinata followed her friend without question, but in her carelessness, she accidentally bumped against someone.

Hinata quickly apologized.

"O-oh my go-goodness!" She started in panic. "I-I'm so sorry! I wa-wasn't looking and paying at-attention to where I was go-going!"

The person she had bumped against chuckled and placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder, earning the girl's attention. The Hyuuga's eyes widened before she blinked rapidly.

"You don't have to apologize. It's alright," the stunning girl soothed, her deep dark eyes shining with kindness. "I wasn't paying attention myself. I apologize as well, okay?"

Hinata could only nod, speechless as she was in front of such a very attractive person. The beauty smiled prettily once more before making her way to her own seat, leaving Hinata standing there, mouth agape and eyes wide. A hand on her shoulders jarred Hinata from her thoughts.

"Tsuchi Kin," said Shino monotonously as he adjusted his glasses. "Be extra careful around her Hinata. Why? Because she's a ruthless person."

The Hyuuga looked confused before she shook her head fervently. "Yo-you must be mistaken, Shino-kun. She lo-looks really friendly."

Shino paused for a second and adjusted his glasses once more as he gave his own advice. "Looks can be deceiving, Hinata." He stared at Kin who was laughing at something a friend said. "Very, very deceiving."

**-OoO-**

**NOTES:**

1) Translates to: What is your name? Fruity actually took Mandarin way back. I know it's supposed to have tones but I got lazy putting them. Sorry.

2) This is still going to be **NejiTen** (because I'm FruitySmell!) but if you have any ideas for side pairings, let me know.

Anyway, hello again to everyone! Yes, as promised, this is the first chapter of my high school fic, which revolves around ghosts in an effort to make things a little bit unique. Besides, isn't ghost! Tenten so adorable?! xD

Also, I would like to thank everyone who supported my other multi-chaptered fic called "**The Puppy Situation**". I actually had some guest reviewers, and hoping you're reading this too, allow me to thank you for reading and leaving reviews for my other story. One of you pointed out that said story involved victim blaming. I apologize if that was how you perceived it; however, I actually based Tenten's behaviour from the interviews I conducted with women who had a miscarriage. Most, if not all, of the women tend to blame themselves for the tragedy, and I wanted my readers to know what these women go through so they could also understand the coping mechanisms of women who had undergone an abortion. Also, what Tenten meant as her big mistake wasn't the premarital sex, it was her complete disregard for her child which eventually led to its death. I hope I explained it well.

AND AS ALWAYS!

Reviews are always loved, constructive criticisms are always appreciated, and flames are given to those who want to lose weight so they could burn their excess fats or whatnot.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **These characters belong to a man named Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own any of the characters used nor do I gain any profit from writing this story.

**WARNING! **Rated **T **for language and some violence.

**-OoO-**

**CHAPTER 2**

**-OoO-**

"How dare she!" The redhead hissed spitefully. "How dare that little skank! I swear I will make her pay for stealing him like that!" She kicked her desk angrily. "I'm going to strangle that... that whore!"

Deep black eyes stared nonchalantly at the fuming redhead. When the latter finally stopped her ranting and slumped grumpily on her seat, the jet-black beauty raised a brow. "Are you quite done, Tayuya?"

The girl named Tayuya grumbled in her seat. "I don't really get why you're so cool about this, Kin!"

Kin simply crossed her long legs, eyeing the scene in front of her disdainfully.

Contrary to what Kotone Tayuya believed, Kin was actually angry. Livid, even. Because she could not, for the life of her, believe why Inuzuka Kiba would choose someone as shy and as boring as the new girl, Hyuuga Hinata, especially when he had someone like Kin vying for his affection!

She was perfect, damn it!

Tall, beautiful, witty, and with a curvy body that any guy would drool over! So why, Kin thought jealously, would Kiba not look her way?! Why did he keep rejecting her even when she openly flirted with him? Why would he go for the new girl when Kin confessed to him that she wanted him?

'_Why, why, why?!_' Her mind demanded as she continued to stare at the animated Kiba conversing happily with Hinata, while Shino merely listened. Then, they shared a good laugh, and something in Kin just exploded.

She clenched her fists and her mouth twisted into a scowl.

"Who says I'm okay with it, Tayuya?" She spat angrily, and beside her, Tayuya grinned maliciously. Leaning over her friend, Tayuya looked excited as her eyes shone with malice.

"Just tell me the plan, Kin. I'm all ears."

**-OoO-**

"You look rather troubled, my friend. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Neji took one good look at the speaker before sighing softly.

"Lee," he greeted, almost tiredly. "It's nothing."

Rock Lee, aged seventeen and self-proclaimed rival/best friend of Hyuuga Neji, frowned at the Hyuuga's answer, and his caterpillar-like eyebrows scrunched almost comically. Then his round eyes lit up, and leaning closely to Neji, as if sharing a secret, he asked. "Are the ghosts bothering you again, Neji?"

Being the Hyuuga's (sort of) best friend, Lee was privy to Neji's ability of seeing ghosts, and he was always at awe by this. Unlike their other classmates, who regarded Neji with unconcealed fear and thus refusing to talk to him, Rock Lee did the opposite – he befriended the Hyuuga and enjoyed the many spook stories Neji shared to him about all the ghosts that inhabited their school.

And one of the many things that Lee learned about the ghouls was that they take pleasure in annoying Neji until the boy's head ached. As Neji once explained, it was almost as if they were playing a sick game as to who can rile up Neji before the day ended.

"I thought they stopped teasing you when you started your meditation, my good friend. Did it not work this time?"

Neji did not answer for a moment – instead, he focused on their homeroom teacher, Hatake Kakashi. The white-haired man was late for a full fifteen minutes, earning him an earful from the class representative, Subaku Temari. The teacher of course apologized profusely and took all of Temari's verbal beatings with an amused smile.

However, and as soon as Temari finished, Kakashi only ordered his students to read Volume I, Chapter 1 to 23 of Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_. Then, he lackadaisically plopped on his own seat, took his favourite book out, and began reading it in front of his class.

Occasionally, Kakashi would let out a giggle or two, his mismatched eyes glued to the book in front of him, making Neji believe that the man would not mind or even notice if some of his students were talking instead of reading. The Hyuuga turned to Lee.

"A new ghost was being a pest," he explained. "But I managed to convince her that I was not going to help her, no matter how much she begged or cried."

Lee frowned slightly. "You refused to assist a lady, Neji? Isn't that a bit..." he thought deeply, brows scrunching, "disrespectful of you?"

"It's a ghost, Lee." Neji scoffed, crossing his arms stubbornly. "I refuse to associate with her or any of her kind."

"Yes, but don't you think—" whatever Lee had to say, it was cut off as a speeding piece of chalk hit him squarely on his forehead, making his head lean backward from the sheer force of the attack. Blinking owlishly, the round-eyed boy forgot for a moment where and who he was as he nursed his aching cranium.

At his desk, Kakashi's hand was still in mid-air, poised in a way as if the man just threw a dart. He did not even look up as he cheerfully reminded the class to "Keep quiet or else." The students, of course, were quick to follow the teacher's instructions, and Lee sheepishly picked up his own book to read the assigned pages.

After that, it was silent in their own section once more, only for it to be broken as Kakashi suddenly giggled at another page of his own orange book entitled "Come, Come, Paradise."

**-OoO-**

"Okay..." Kiba scratched his cheek awkwardly. "That was definitely an epic fail."

He laughed loudly, just as Hinata mumbled an apology, and Shino adjusted his dark glasses.

Like every private school, Konoha High urged its students to join at least one of the many clubs that the school had to offer. As such, half of the first day of school for the first year students was spent to scout for their ideal club or two.

It was also at this exact moment that Kiba and Shino helped Hinata look for a club where she could fit in and be very comfortable. It was also a perfect opportunity for Hinata to gain new friends.

As for the two boys, Kiba was already a part of the basketball team, and he strongly discouraged Hinata from entering any club that involved heavy work outs and body slamming your opponents just to score a point. Shino offered a spot at the Gardening club, saying that he was a member, but Kiba was quick to point out that there was no way in hell that Shino was converting Hinata to some tree-hugging, bug-loving weirdo like all the members of the Gardening club.

Here, Hinata had enough common sense to stop the fight before it could even start.

First, they tried the Cooking club, but they had to leave immediately as Hinata almost burned the school when she was asked to try and bake a batch of cookies. Apparently, the Hyuuga heiress had no clue how to start an oven – she had, after all, a multitude of servants in the mansion to do the cooking for her.

Then, they tried their luck at the Debate team. Sadly, it was, as Kiba declared, an epic failure because Hinata merely wrote her arguments in a piece of paper rather than making her stand and voicing them out loud. The girl could not, for the life of her, speak up and be assertive enough to be heard. It was a hopeless case.

"I-I'm truly so-sorry, Kiba-kun. Shino-kun." Hinata muttered once more as she squeezed her eyes shut, her hands balled into tiny fists on her sides. Kiba hastily reassured her by slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry 'bout a thing, Hinata! Me and Shino are bound to find something for you! Right, Shino?"

The bespectacled man did not answer. Instead, he busied himself by reading the papers Hinata wrote speedily during the debate trial.

"Oi, bug-boy! I'm talki—"

"Perhaps Hinata is suited to be in the Journalist club." Shino spoke suddenly. "Why? Because her writing is quite spectacular to read."

Hinata flushed at the compliment, whereas Kiba blinked for a moment before a wild grin settled on his lips.

"Yeah?! Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

He immediately rushed toward the Journalist club's room, bringing Hinata along by the hand. Shino stared contemplatively before following the two with slow, unrushed steps.

**-OoO-**

"Stupid, arrogant prick!" The ghost girl grumbled as she floated along the hallway. She harrumphed. "I'll show him! I'll just ask his sister then!"

She continued muttering curses about "Mr. Grumpy Pants" as she looked for the lavender-eyed girl. The ghost girl was aware that she was going to have a hard time locating Mr. Grumpy Pants' sister, as she was not familiar with the place and its many rooms.

"What am I even doing here?" She asked herself once more, only to stop when she spotted a huge bulletin board near the principal's office. On it were the mission and vision of Konoha High, plus a brief summary of the school's history.

But what attracted her most to this particular thing were the pictures of the staff of Konoha High. Everyone was included, even the lunch ladies and the janitors – yet, she was more concerned with the fact that some of these faces looked very familiar to her.

She once again neared the board and studied all the pictures in it. She hoped one of them could at least know her name. Maybe then, she'd remember why she ended up in this school.

"Tenten," she said wistfully, her voice quivering a bit. "I'm pretty sure someone once called me by that name."

**-OoO-**

"Alrighty! Hinata, wait here. I'm gonna check if someone's inside the club room. Maybe I can even ask what the requirements are to join the club."

The Hyuuga girl smiled slightly as her companion beamed. And with a last pat on her head, Kiba entered Room 7, which was the official room for the school's budding journalists, leaving Hinata to wait by herself in the hallway. Shino, on the other hand, was called by one of his club mates, who claimed that they were going to have a meeting.

Shino was reluctant to leave, even when Kiba boasted that he was more than capable of ensuring Hinata's safety. The bug enthusiast only left when Hinata reassured him that she was going to be fine and that she was very thankful for his help.

Hinata hummed to herself as she waited for her friend to come out. It was also at this moment that the ghost girl suddenly materialized herself in front of Hinata, making the Hyuuga jump in fright. The ghost girl smiled apologetically at Hinata, before her soft brown eyes sparkled.

"There you are!" She cried out jubilantly. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Hinata blinked unsurely. "Yo-you were looking fo-for me?"

And then she covered her mouth with her palms, because her older cousin did warn her almost every day that talking to ghosts would only bear catastrophic results. Interacting with them was strictly forbidden and Hinata promised Neji she would not speak to any spirits in the school. But now, here she was, answering to a ghost whom she only met this morning. Gods, Neji was so going to strangle her for this!

But the ghost girl did not look like she noticed Hinata's plight.

"Yup!" She said smilingly as she extended a pale hand. "The name's Tenten! What's yours?"

Hinata blinked uncertainly, gaze falling from the ghost's – Tenten's – pretty face down to her outstretched hand. Tenten tilted her head a bit in slight confusion before her eyes widened. She immediately pulled her hand back.

"Whoops!" The ghost girl chuckled awkwardly. "That was a pretty dumb move, huh?"

Hinata nodded numbly. Tenten scrunched her brows cutely and crossed her arms on her chest.

"Yeah, well... I'm Tenten!" The girl repeated. "What's your name?"

The Hyuuga was a little hesitant to reply, but seeing the hopeful smile on Tenten's face, Hinata began to stammer her answer. "M-my name i-is Hi—"

"Hyuuga Hinata, right?"

Both ghost and human looked at the speaker and found a stunning black-haired beauty staring at them. Or in this case, only at Hinata, since it was obvious that Tenten remained invisible to everyone but the Hyuuga. Beside the speaker was a redhead with a pair of steely eyes and a confident smirk.

Hinata visibly shrunk at the intensity of both girls' gazes, but she managed to squeak a shaky "yes" to the question. The two girls grinned, whereas Tenten frowned slightly. Meanwhile, poor Hinata backed away slowly, her senses picking up danger signs emanating from the two girls.

"We'd like to have a word with you, Miss Hyuuga." The black-haired girl purred as she neared Hinata. Her partner snickered when the Hyuuga shook once more.

"I-I don't..."

"Oh, isn't she precious, Kin?" The redhead suddenly cooed mockingly, and Hinata gasped when the former grasped her shoulders tightly. "She thinks she has a choice!"

The girl named Kin chuckled darkly. "Be nice to her, Tayuya. She's new, after all." And to Hinata's shock and Tenten's ire, Kin suddenly slapped the Hyuuga's cheek. "Perhaps, we should educate her on the rules of this school. What do you think, hm?"

Before Hinata could retaliate, maybe scream for help, Tayuya was suddenly behind the Hyuuga and gagged her mouth tightly with a handkerchief. On the other hand, Kin pulled Hinata's hair, making the girl whimper, just as Tayuya further disabled the girl by handcuffing her hands.

"You and I," Kin growled aggressively, sugary tone completely forgotten, "are going to have a little heart-to-heart talk, Hi-na-ta-chan."

The duo snickered as they dragged Hinata forcibly, not minding the fat tears rolling on the Hyuuga's cheek. Tenten, not being able to do much, could only follow the three, silently hoping that help was coming soon.

Unfortunately, it didn't.

**-OoO-**

"He's mine, you little bitch! You hear me?!"

Kin once again slapped Hinata before pushing the girl bodily inside the stuffy broom closet. Hinata's body slammed against the wall, making her sob in pain. Several items inside the room rattled, but no other student heard the ruckus. After all, Kin and Tayuya specifically chose the most secluded area in the school to do their bullying. Even now, the two were still playing it safe, as Tayuya stood as lookout, while Kin continued to warn Hinata and physically assaulted the girl just so she would stay away from Kiba.

"You little piece of shit! I can't hear you!" She moved to kick the bruised Hyuuga on the side but was stopped when Tayuya alerted her that a couple of students were coming. Kin scoffed. "You got lucky this time, bitch!"

They were quick to shut the door, and there was no doubt in Hinata's mind that they locked it so no one would be able to find her. She tried to sit up slowly, but her body still hurt so much everywhere that all she could manage to do was slump tiredly against the wall.

With red and puffy eyes (due to her intense crying), Hinata quietly surveyed the tiny room. So far, she was a little bit relieved that the room was fairly lit, all thanks to the sunlight streaming down from one tiny window. The room was littered with different kinds of cleaning materials, but Hinata knew that these things were of no help to her in getting out of this place.

She wept once more and rubbed her eyes furiously. It was also at this precise moment that Tenten manifested herself in front of the Hyuuga.

"I'm so sorry!" Tenten hastily apologized. "I wanted to try and get help, but no one else could see me and—"

She paused and instead tried to console the crying Hyuuga. She tried to reach out and give the lavender-eyed girl a comforting hug, but every time that she did so, her hand would only end up passing through. Tenten yelled out a curse in frustration. Hinata only bawled some more.

"Damn it, this is so frustrating!" Tenten hissed. "I can't even ask for help because I'm invisible!" She mumbled to herself, knowing deep inside that there was actually somebody out there who could aid her and Hinata. Somebody who, unfortunately for Tenten, had a huge pole lodged deeply inside his royal ass.

But Hinata's sobs continued getting louder, and Tenten admitted that there was no other choice. Hence, with a deep sigh, the ghost girl explained to the distraught Hinata that she was off to find the Hyuuga's arrogant older brother.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," reassured the brunette. "Don't you worry, okay?"

She quickly disappeared as soon as Hinata gave a tiny nod, leaving the lavender-eyed girl all alone inside the tiny broom closet. Said girl hiccupped once before she reached deep inside her pocket to retrieve her handkerchief. At the very least, the redhead removed the handcuffs, so Hinata could now freely use her hands.

"I'm s-so pathetic," Hinata whispered sadly. "I ca-can't even defend m-myself."

She sniffed once and moved a little bit, testing if the pain had at least subsided. She winced when a sharp pang was felt somewhere, and she immediately stopped her wiggling to nurse her back.

"I d-doon't like it he-here! I wa-want to go h-home! I want to hi-hide forever a-and ever..."

She rested her forehead on her knees and cried more fresh tears. However, she was surprised when someone else spoke.

"So you're just going to run away?"

Shocked at the presence of another person in the room, Hinata jolted in her seat, resulting to another wave of pain that reverberated throughout her whole body. She quickly doubled over to soothe herself, yet her eyes were vigilantly looking around, hoping to spot her companion.

Her pale gaze finally found him.

He was hunched over at the far side of the room, just near the door. Because of his small size, he was able to squeeze himself between the wall and a big cabinet that held various cleaning chemicals. He had yet to look up, so all Hinata could see was his thick mop of hair, its shade a deep violet in color. And like Tenten, he was abnormally pale that Hinata knew exactly what he was.

He was another ghost.

**-OoO-**

**NOTES:**

Guys, it's almost December 18. A year has already passed since Kishimoto decided to kill off our Hyuuga prodigy because Hinata had to use her "Body Meatshield no Jutsu" instead of just hauling Naruto's ass out of the way from those spikes.

-sigh-

Anyway, I know I made Hinata sound too weak, but in this story, she's pretty much shielded from different types of people as she was homeschooled. But fret not! Hinata will grow and she will kick some ass soon. But first, she needs to experience hardships before she can attain that strength!

Also, the first person to correctly guess who the new ghost is will get a oneshot from me! Let's see if someone can actually guess the ghost boy right. :D

Lastly...

Reviews are always loved, constructive criticisms are always appreciated, and flames will be used to roast some chestnuts. Huzzah!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **These characters belong to a man named Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own any of the characters used nor do I gain any profit from writing this story.

**WARNING! **Rated **T **for language and some violence.

**PAIRING REQUESTS: Still open for votes.**

NaruHina = 2

ShikaTema = 2

LeeSaku = 1

SasuSaku = 1

**-OoO-**

**CHAPTER 3**

**-OoO-**

"What do you mean, you lost her?"

It was said in the coldest way possible that Kiba had to flinch and look away as Hyuuga Neji's pale eyes glared at him with such intensity. The Inuzuka clenched his fists and cursed, but he had to tell the truth. After all, Hinata could be lost somewhere or worse – she could be in grave danger right now!

"I had to leave her for a couple of minutes," Kiba explained, hating himself for his stupidity, "and when I came back, she wasn't there anymore."

At first, he thought that Hinata had only gone to use the restroom, so Kiba merely waited for her to show up. But minutes passed and there was still no sign of his friend that Kiba immediately panicked. And seeing how rattled Kiba was undergoing because of Hinata's disappearance, Uzumaki Naruto quickly offered to help, claiming that it was the right thing to do. Kiba nodded his thanks and the two hastily set off.

Together, they frantically looked for her along the hallways, only to end up bumping against her older cousin instead. Kiba froze in fear, while Naruto only looked confused. Speaking of said cousin, Neji was quick to notice Hinata's absence and he quirked an eyebrow in silent question. Kiba cursed his rotten luck, and with a large gulp, proceeded to explain the situation to Neji in between stutters.

Naturally, Neji was livid.

"You abandoned her?!" Neji demanded, his nostrils flaring. "Are you an idiot, Inuzuka?!"

Kiba opened his mouth to retort but clamped it shut as he faced Neji's accusing glares. Naruto was smart enough to intervene by putting himself in between his friend and the new guy who looked like Hinata, his hands up in the air in surrender.

"Dude, chill! I swear we'll find your sister!" He announced as he stared at Neji. Then, turning to Kiba, he spoke. "Maybe we should ask the old hag for help? She can announce to the whole school and have everyone look for Hinata-chan."

By old hag, the blonde boy meant the school's busty principal Senju Tsunade. Neji raised a brow once more, but Kiba shook his head almost eratically.

"Not a good idea," Kiba explained to Naruto. "Hinata hates being the center of attention. If we ask for the principal's help, we'll only end up flustering Hinata."

Naruto frowned, his eyes closed and his brows scrunched. "Dog-breath, does it really matter?! Hinata-chan could be in danger right now or—"

"Or she could have just lost her way." Neji finished calculatingly. "Hinata will end up fainting if she hears the principal announce her name to everyone in school. She might get hurt if she loses her consciousness."

Kiba nodded in understanding, while Naruto merely tilted his head in wonder before shrugging off.

"So, we starting or not?" The blonde asked out loud. "Coz... you know. We're kind of wasting time here."

Neji grunted. The stupid one had a point, as crazy as it sounded.

"I'm taking the first and second floors," was all Neji stated before he turned on his heel and left dumb and dumber quickly. He had a cousin to find, after all.

When Neji was finally out of sight, Naruto sighed loudly. "Man, what an ass."

**-OoO-**

"Wh-who are yo-you?" Hinata stuttered her question, her eyes still focused on the young ghost. Said spirit looked up, perhaps a little confused as to why Hinata was addressing him. He regarded the Hyuuga girl curiously, whereas Hinata found herself staring at the ghost's deep violet orbs.

"You can see me?" The ghost suddenly asked, making Hinata jump in her seat. She quickly nodded her head in answer, before asking the ghost boy's name once more. He replied. "It's Ranmaru."

"Ra-Ranmaru," Hinata repeated, and feeling compelled to introduce herself, she said, "My na-name is Hyu-Hyuuga Hinata."

"Hinata," Ranmaru whispered, as if he had forgotten how to talk to other people. He slightly tilted his head. "Why can you see me?"

The Hyuuga girl sighed, mostly out of pain since she decided to sit up and use the wall as her support, just so she could face Ranmaru better. She then pointed her light lavender eyes.

"It's a fa-family trait," she said. "O-our eyes are sp-special. Or at least, th-that's what my fa-father always says."

And without waiting for Ranmaru to reply, Hinata slowly stood up, wincing just a bit at the painful sensation coursing all throughout her body. She gasped when she felt her knees buckle a bit but determinedly kept going on by using the wall.

All the while she stood up rather sluggishly and with great difficulty, Ranmaru was watching her warily.

"Where are you going?"

Hinata blinked, a little surprised. "I ha-have to get o-out of here. M-my friend... he's worried a-about me, I'm su-sure."

As she spoke, Hinata staggered toward the door. She felt her back ache in protest and her palms began to sweat as she forced her body to move some more, just so she could reach the exit. In her peripheral vision, Hinata could see Ranmaru still watching her with his deep violet eyes. The young ghost shook his head when Hinata's knees buckled once more.

"What will you do after you've made your escape?" He asked inquisitively. "Are you going to run away?" He hunched suddenly, knees going closer to his chest as he clutched his legs tighter. "Someone once told me that running away won't help you because if you do that... the bullies end up winning the fight."

Hinata, by then, was just a few feet away from the door, but exhaustion won over, and she felt her body sag until her knees hit the floor. She sighed softly, half thankful that she was almost there and half frustrated because her body _had_ to give up when she was so near already!

She gave another sigh and mimicked Ranmaru's position, making her and the ghost boy sitting face to face. Ranmaru had yet to look up, so Hinata softly called his name to gain his attention. The ghost seemed perplexed that she called him, and he blinked his eyes owlishly at the Hyuuga girl.

"W-why..." Hinata started uncomfortably, once she knew she had the ghost's undivided attention, "are yo-you here, Ra-Ranmaru?"

Still confused and didn't even bother hiding it, Ranmaru stared at Hinata some more. Then, he pointed out why Hinata was even striking him with a conversation, when they were both strangers to the other. Plus, didn't the girl think it was weird having to talk to someone who was long dead like him?

"Are you not scared of me?" Ranmaru asked out of interest and scrunched his brows rather cutely when Hinata nodded sheepishly. "So why are you talking to me?"

The Hyuuga mumbled something incoherent, her pointing fingers jabbing each other furiously as she blushed brightly. Ranmaru chose to keep quiet and patiently waited until Hinata could form a more audible answer. It took a while but seeing as Ranmaru didn't make any comments, Hinata finally realized that the ghost didn't understand a word she was saying because she was speaking in gibberish.

Hinata immediately ducked her head before clearing her throat.

"I-I am afraid of yo-you," she said honestly. "Bu-but... I also believe that pe-people fear something because they're not fa-familiar with it." She was twiddling her fingers once more unconsciously. "So I th-thought that i-if I know you be-better, I'd fear you le-less."

She shut her eyes in embarrassment, as if anticipating Ranmaru to suddenly laugh harshly at her suggestion or merely scoff and call her an idiot for ever thinking so simply like that. When no such reactions came or were heard, Hinata shyly opened one eye to peek at her companion.

She immediately gasped and her eyes snapped open.

Because for the first time since they've talked, Ranmaru was giving her a small, somewhat joyful, smile. It was barely there, a mere curve of his lips really, but the way the ghost's eyes sparkled spoke volumes. Hinata didn't even realize she was holding her breath until she released a soft sigh as she relaxed her very tensed shoulders.

"That's a rather simple way of thinking, don't you think?" Ranmaru asked although he was still smiling. "It's a long story though. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

His smiled widened when Hinata nodded.

**-OoO-**

Hyuuga Neji was stressed.

He had scouted the first and second floors of the building, hoping to find his blundering cousin, but his efforts were all in vain. He then proceeded to look for Hinata at the cafeteria, only to meet up with Naruto and Kiba, who both thought to check the school's cafeteria for the Hyuuga girl as well.

Neji clenched his fists when he spotted the two, sans his younger cousin.

"She's not in the third floor," Kiba reported.

"Hinata-chan's not in the fourth floor and the rooftop, too." Naruto added, his bright blue eyes turning to Neji. "I guess you didn't find her too, huh?"

Neji bit out a cold retort. Was it not obvious that he was not able to locate his cousin as well? Was this kid trying to point out Neji's failures haughtily? Or was the blonde just that stupid?!

A quick glance at the boy told Neji that, yes, Naruto was just as dumb as Inuzuka.

"What other places have we not checked yet?" Neji asked coldly as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "I've tried contacting her phone, but she never answered any of my calls."

"There's the pool," Naruto replied, enumerating the places using his fingers. "And there's the gym, the shower rooms, the Faculty and Staff room, the Science Lab..." he trailed off as he looked up, intent on remembering all the rooms they've failed to check.

Neji grumbled as Kiba dialled Hinata's number once more. When the Hyuuga girl failed to answer her phone, like Neji said, Kiba phoned Shino instead and relayed to his friend their current situation. Shino quickly promised to help as soon as he was done with his cleaning duties.

"Fine, I'll check—"

"Oi, prick! There you are!"

Only Neji turned to face whoever called and his lips instantly thinned as he watched the already familiar ghost girl float toward him, a relieved smile on her pretty face. The ghost girl then opened her mouth – perhaps to annoy him, Neji thought in vexation – but before she could speak, Neji beat her to it.

"What do you want?!" He snarled, shocking Kiba and Naruto. Neji was very much aware that the two were gaping at him, as he was, in their point of view, talking to thin air. Both could not see the ghost girl, after all.

"Whoa!" Neji heard Naruto exclaim as the blonde nudged Kiba with an elbow. "Has he gone crazy?!"

Normally, Neji would have ignored the ghost because people always had the same reaction as Naruto's whenever Neji conversed with something a human's normal eye could not see. But right now, Neji was highly hassled, even angry that something like this had to happen on the first day of school. He was _this_ close to bursting, and if this ghost girl thought she could rope him into helping her, then—

"I know where your sister is!" The ghost exclaimed happily, unmindful of how Neji answered her a while ago. In the background, Neji heard Kiba explain to one wide-eyed Naruto of how unique a Hyuuga's eyes were.

A rather pathetic squeak came from Naruto when Kiba mentioned ghosts, but Neji paid no heed to them. Instead, his eyes sorely focused on the ghost girl as he tried to determine whether she was lying or not.

"You found Hinata?" Neji asked. Naruto and Kiba stopped their own conversation to look at him incredulously.

The ghost girl nodded ecstatically. "Yes! She's hurt, you have to save her! Just follow me, I know the way."

She immediately turned and floated her way to where Hinata was currently detained. Neji followed her, simply because he was running out of options and he was, dare he say it, desperate to find his younger cousin or else Hiashi would have his head in a silver platter. Naruto and Kiba took seconds to gape at Neji's retreating form and then at each other, before sprinting off to catch up with the Hyuuga.

**-OoO-**

"I was once a student here." Ranmaru started his tale. "Believe it or not, I was fourteen, almost fifteen, when I died."

Hinata nodded hesitantly, her eyes studying Ranmaru intently. "B-but you look s-so..." She said, only to trail off as Ranmaru smiled a little.

"Tiny?" He offered and chuckled lightly when Hinata looked down in embarrassment. "I'd blame genetics, but my parents kept insisting it was because I was born premature."

Hinata badly wanted to point out that her little sister, Hyuuga Hanabi, was a premature baby too, but she still grew up like a normal child. Hinata even suspected that Hanabi might be taller than her older sister someday, judging from Hanabi's growth rate. Yet, Hinata wisely chose to keep quiet as she listened to Ranmaru's whole story.

"I've always been tiny and sickly," the ghost continued, "but my parents tried their best to make me feel normal."

There was a sparkle in the ghost's eyes at the mention of his parents, only for it to disappear as quickly as it came.

"My parents enrolled me in this school because they wanted me to make a lot of friends. Instead, I was bullied by my classmates."

Hinata gulped, finding a lot of similarities in her situation and Ranmaru's. Meanwhile, the ghost closed his eyes morosely.

"I didn't tell anyone though, especially my parents. I didn't want them to worry, you see. Plus, I didn't have any bruises to show anyway," he shrugged and at Hinata's questioning stare, he elaborated. "The bullying was more psychological than physical."

Understanding dawned in Hinata's eyes as Ranmaru grimaced.

"Then one day, I had enough. They were planning on making me clean the whole classroom that afternoon, and I just..." he sighed, shaking his head sadly. "I couldn't tell them to stop, so I hid here, hoping they'd give up on looking for me."

There was a pause as the ghost trailed off, eyes seemingly distant. Only when Hinata murmured his name did Ranmaru snap back to attention.

"Wh-what happened next?"

"I was so intent on escaping that I failed to anticipate this place's condition," he said with a wry smile. "It was too dusty that I immediately had an asthma attack. I vaguely remember collapsing, and when I woke up..."

He stopped once more but Hinata knew as much. He probably woke up to find his body sprawled on the floor, already lifeless and helpless. Or perhaps, he woke up, just in time to find the authorities discovering his unmoving body? Either way, Ranmaru died in this spot, and it was pretty clear that he never accepted his untimely death.

Tears soon fell from Hinata's eyes, down to her cheek. This time though, it was not due to the physical pain in her body. Rather, it was because she felt sorry for this tiny boy in front of her.

**-OoO-**

"They say that he haunts one of the storage rooms in this school," Naruto shared almost breathlessly to Kiba, his bright blue eyes shaking in fear. "Students and staff alike even swore they heard him cry, seeking for justice and revenge against those who have hurt him!"

The blonde boy made a show of rubbing his arms, as he was spooked by his own tale. Kiba simply rolled his sharp brown eyes.

"And you know this because?"

"Duh! I'm a journalist! It's in my nature to know all the gossips surrounding this school!"

Kiba huffed, while Neji merely followed the ghost girl and ignored them. "Even those bizarre urban legends?"

"Especially those urban legends!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at Kiba as if the sharp-eyed boy just said something very idiotic. "People like that stuff!"

A scoff. "I'm sure they do."

The trio, or foursome if the spirit was included, made a quick turn around the corner, only to abruptly skid to a halt. By then Naruto and Kiba were panting hard from their run, while Neji looked mildly relieved as he stared at the ghost pointing meaningfully at the janitor's broom closet.

"In there! Hinata's waiting in there!" The ghost announced excitedly, before passing through the wooden doors casually.

Neji panted for a moment as he evened his breathing, before reaching for the knob.

"Waaaaaait!" Naruto suddenly yelled, making both Kiba and Neji turn to him. The blonde fumbled with the camera he brought for a moment, earning him a glare from Neji.

"Oi, dumbass! What the hell-?!"

Whatever the Inuzuka had to say was immediately interrupted as Naruto grinned widely.

"Ghosts can appear in pictures, right?" The Uzumaki said enthusiastically. "Oh man, oh man! I bet everyone would love to read this week's paper if we put a picture with a ghost in it!"

"You are a dumbass." Kiba said with a sigh. "You can't take pictures of ghosts. That's impossible! Right, Neji?"

Naruto screamed indignantly at being called a dumbass.

The addressed Hyuuga closed his eyes, knowing that a migraine was soon to manifest.

"They actually do. But," he said calmly, glaring at Naruto who beamed, "be warned that ghosts are tricksters. For example, they'd hide their images when you are in the company of others."

Naruto blinked owlishly and Neji inwardly cackled when the blonde's body shook like a leaf.

"But they'd show up, once you are all alone. Perhaps when you are sound asleep, you'll feel the sudden urge to just wake up," Neji furthered, even when Naruto looked like he was about to wet his pants soon. "And when you do open your eyes, you'll find yourself face to face with a ghost. Maybe it will be a bloody face of a woman. Her face will be mutilated beyond repair and she'd be hovering on top of you, giving you a feral grin."

Naruto looked like he was about to pull a Hinata and faint right there.

"But mark my words, she'll come closer... and closer... and closer..."

"I can't hear you!" The blonde quickly shrieked and he covered his ears with the palms of his two hands. "Lalalalalalala! I didn't hear anything!"

And because he was shutting his eyes rather forcefully, Naruto failed to see Kiba snickering at his cowardly reaction. Neji only sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose once more, before reaching for the door to open it.

Kiba was still guffawing. "Stupid! Neji was only kidding! Right, dude?"

Neji's answer was a grunt. Kiba only shrugged while Naruto raised a brow.

"Oh, I guess he wasn't joking then." Kiba said and he turned to his blonde friend. "Go ahead, Naruto! Take a pic!"

Naruto hastily shook his head fearfully and took five steps away from the broom closet, as if an unknown barrier was preventing him from nearing the place. Kiba laughed loudly at Naruto's spinelessness before he too went inside to help Neji rescue Hinata.

**-OoO-**

**NOTES:**

**Advanced Merry Christmas to one and all! Hope you all get to enjoy your Christmas vacation!**

REPLIES TO ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS:

**Ichigo-chan **and **Tenten's Panda: **Thank you very much for dropping by and participating in my little game! You two got it right, by the way. However, as much as I want to give you that oneshot prize, I really have no clue how to do that, seeing as you two have no FF account. :(

**Breidablik:** I'm sorry you had to undergo that. And bless your friend's heart for being there for you. You are right, quitting is never an option. It was good that you were saved before you lost your life. You would have lost a lot of opportunities if you wasted your life like that. Stay strong always!

**Chisa Chispa:** Wah! Pinoy ka pala, nag-Tagalog ka nalang sana! Hahahaha, mahirap kaya mag-English always. Anyways, salamat sa reviews (kalimutan ko mag thank you para sa first chapter, sorry po). And longer chapters? Yeah, I guess I can do that, but my updates will no longer be weekly. At most, around twice or once a month.

**Heavenlyswirl**: Why Naruto? I already introduced Naruto as one of Hinata's classmates. O.o

UPDATES:

No chapter next week, I guess. I'm tired, sorry.


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